Ten-man Newcastle stretched their winning run to six league matches for the first time since the Kevin Keegan glory days thanks to a late thunderbolt from new boy Fabrice Pancrate.

The Frenchman’s 83rd-minute knockout blow would have done credit to watching WBA world heavyweight champion David Haye.

Pancrate’s decisive contribution came at a time when the home side were desperately clinging on to an early goal clinically dispatched by Peter Lovenkrands but courtesy of on-loan Manchester United youngster Craig Cathcart’s howler.

But to stretch their lead to 10 points over third-place Nottingham Forest the Toon had to survive a jittery last 40 minutes after Kevin Nolan was dismissed for a second booking.

Toon boss Chris Hughton hailed Pancrate’s rocket which found the net via the underside of the bar and admitted it came at just the right time as Tom Cleverley-inspired Watford were threatening to level.

Hughton said: “It was a wonderful goal and it was a wonderful time to score. Pancrate is certainly one who excites the crowd.

“I am absolutely delighted we have a 10-point gap. We are going to have good days and bad days so it was important to get those points with two difficult away games coming up.”

Hornets boss Malky Mackay was left bemoaning a string of missed chances, but insisted he was satisfied with his young side. Mackay said: “If we play like that we will win more games than we lose. I was disappointed but we had enough chances to get something from the game.”

And while Newcastle kept their heads when playing a man short against the neat-passing visitors, they had to survive plenty of nervous moments to protect their reputation as the meanest defence in the Championship. Heidar Helguson blasted a couple of excellent chances wide and when Danny Graham did hit the target home keeper Steve Harper blocked instinctively with his foot.

Watford were enjoying a decent spell of possession when the Magpies went ahead on 20 minutes through Lovenkrands’ second goal of the campaign. Cathcart was woefully short with his effort to find his keeper and Scott Loach could only hit his clearance against Marlon Harewood. The rebound fell kindly for Lovenkrands and the Dane was able to slot home from seven yards.

Watford were handed a lifeline when referee Jonathan Moss sent off Nolan in the 49th minute for a second yellow card. Henri Lansbury went down under a challenge from Nolan and, with the home top scorer having been booked in the first half for a foul on John Eustace, he received his marching orders.

But the Magpies defence held out. And Pancrate’s clever turn followed by a left-foot rocket provided the only faint resemblance to the days when Newcastle were the Premier League entertainers.